Beginnings
by RadientWings
Summary: When Rebekah shoved the cure down Klaus' throat, no one expected it to have the effect it did. They didn't expect him to forget the last thousand years of his life. They certainly didn't expect to see who he had once been. Especially not Caroline. Original-centric. Klaroline. Three-shot.
1. Part I

**This is kind of a 'what if' story. Though, I really hope Klaus doesn't turn into a human in the show (what would we do without daddy hybrid after all) this is my thought on what it could be like :) Anyways, this story mainly focuses on Klaus, Caroline, and some Rebekah. I hope you enjoy my theory of sorts ;)**

**This had actually been running through my head for a while, and I finally thought that this would be a good to write it out, what with hiatus and all.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own TVD.**

Beginnings

_Part I_

Rebekah hardly had time to think as she restrained her brother. She knew she would not be able to hold him for long, despite the fact they were around the same age. He was the hybrid, after all; more powerful than any of them, any of her siblings, including herself.

She managed to take him by surprise, however – her only advantage. She jumped him from behind, wrapping her arms around his torso and pulling him away from where he was threatening Stefan and the others, in an attack stance. She threw him into a brick wall, not waiting to watch as it crumbled under the force of the blow. She blurred forward pressing her forearm to his throat, shoving him back against the wall as he tried to orient himself.

Only a few seconds now. Less. This wasn't just some vampire. This was Nik.

Klaus.

But she couldn't resist.

"Now you'll know how it _feels_." She whispered, tears filling her eyes unexpectedly, before she punched his stomach as hard as she could, causing the air to be forced out of his body and his mouth opened as he gasped involuntarily. Without another second to spare, Rebekah thrust her hand forward and tilted the small vial that held the cure, pouring down Nik's throat.

It seemed to take him a minute to realize what was happening, and by the time he did, it was already too late. That did not stop his anger from surfacing, however, and Klaus broke free from Rebekah's grip, his hands immediately flying to her throat. He lifted her off the ground with a growl and squeezed. Hard.

Rebekah's hands went up to his, trying to pry him off of her. His grip was as iron tight as ever.

It wasn't getting any weaker. _No, why isn't he weaker? He's supposed to be…_

It seemed that in that moment, her brother realized the exact same thing. A triumphant gleam overtook the anger in his eyes and he smirked widely.

"Well, _little sister_, it seems your little cure was just a farce." Suddenly fury was back in his blue eyes and Rebekah felt fear, _real_ fear, for the first time in a long time. His grip around her throat tightened impossibly more, crushing it. She was sure that in a mere second the force of it would snap her neck.

Only just as she saw his killing intent, his grip abruptly loosened even as the rest of Klaus' tensed. Rebekah fell to the floor in a heap, gasping, her throat badly bruised, though she knew it would heal in only a moment.

Klaus staggered, his hands clutching at his chest, clawing at it as if trying to rip it apart.

"No." He growled. "_No!" _He was shaking his head profusely. A shudder ran through him before he went completely still. Then, suddenly, he fell to his knees and screamed. It wasn't a scream of fear of terror; it was much worse than that. It was a guttural cry of agony. His hands were clutching at his head, pulling at his hair and still he screamed. As his cries continued, his skin seemed glow from within, almost as if all of that power that made Klaus was being forcibly pushed out.

Finally, the scream stopped, the scary glow fading and Klaus keeled sideways, falling onto his elbow, head hanging weakly. He was breathing heavily, silent and his other hand went to his chest, resting over his beating heart.

Everyone stood still, unsure about what was supposed to happen next. They all observed Klaus quietly, warily, wondering if the cure really worked.

When Klaus lifted his head, Rebekah was surprised to see his eyes were wet with tears. They conveyed confusion, shyness… and, strangely enough, they seemed… innocent.

His hand clutched at his shirt, pain crossing his face, and he let out a small groan. Still seemingly confused, his eyes flicked around the room, searching.

Finally they fell on his sister, where she lay on the floor, the bruises he had given her already fading.

Rebekah expected anger, murderous intent, _disappointment_… Looks she had grown used to receiving from him over the years just as much as a look of fondness. But Rebekah could see none of that in his expression. She, as the one who had stayed by his side the longest, prided herself on being able to read his every expression, his every mood.

But the way he was now… _No, that's impossible…_

"'Bekah?" He asked, his voice hoarse, _concerned_, of all things, whilst his brows furrowed. He reached out to her, trying to pull himself to her only to collapse into himself, his body weak, mind foggy. "Sister?" He sounded so _confused_. "What is going? Where are we?"

"Nik?" Rebekah felt herself say, her eyes still fixed on her brother. What was going on? He should be trying to _kill_ her.

Then it hit her like a punch in the gut. She finally realized what the look on his face was.

It had been the same look he had worn when he was human, before all the darkness had swept over their lies. The look he wore now was that of her beloved brother Nik, not the cruel hybrid Klaus he had become.

In that moment Rebekah knew that the cure had worked, in more ways then one. It had purged him of his sins, of his darkness.

When she saw him trying to move, trying to move towards _her_, disoriented and almost helpless, she couldn't help but to shift until she was right next to him. She found herself steadying him, grabbing his arm gently to help him sit upright. The way he was looking at her, pride mixed with fondness, tore at her heart. _When was the last time he was like this?_

"'Bekah, love, you're crying." She was only vaguely surprised at his statement, barely noticing the tears running down her face. "Are you hurt, sister? What has happened?" When she didn't answer, he cupped her cheeks, ignoring the pain that rang through his body at the sudden movement. "What's the matter?" The concern and borderline panic in his voice and expression was obvious. Rebekah grabbed his wrists, holding tight, afraid to lose her Nik, her _brother_, again.

It was with that action that she knew she couldn't allow the others to go through with their plan. She wouldn't let them kill her brother. Klaus had deserved to die, but _Nik_ didn't. Not when he was harmless like this.

They had spent weeks planning this attack with the utmost secrecy, for once they were one step ahead of the other Original. Rebekah herself had been the pivotal part of the plan. But, things had changed. This was unexpected, unprecedented.

It was also everything Rebekah had wished for. She had wished desperately for her big brother to be returned her. And now he had.

Rebekah had been ready to kill Klaus, she _had_, but Nik?

She couldn't. She _can't_.

"It'll be alright, brother." She whispered, her throat clogging. She pulled his hands from her face and held them within their own. She felt his grip tighten around her fingers, and his face revealed relief. She found herself noting the fact that the hold he had on her hands was nothing like that he had had on her throat before.

It wasn't exactly weak. But it wasn't hybrid strong either. He really _was_ human now.

Suddenly, he coughed harshly, lifting his hands away from hers and to his mouth to try and quell it. His coughing began to worsen and Rebekah could hear his struggle to breath. Then he abruptly paled and blood began to drip from his mouth. Nik pitched forward with a pained groan, falling into his sister.

"Nik!" Rebekah panicked, grabbing her brother by the shoulders and holding him upright against her. He was shuddering in obvious pain, still coughing blood. His blue eyes were distant, cloudy. "Nik. _Nik!"_ The Original shook her brother hard, trying to keep him with her.

"'Bekah." He groaned. "_Hurts." _His head lolled as the consciousness seemed to fade in and out. His heart stuttered.

"_No!_" She screamed.

Then she heard the chanting and Rebekah felt anger overtake her devastated panic. She turned her head to see the Bennet witch with her eyes on her brother, chanting under her breath. She was completing the mission.

Rebekah wouldn't let her.

_Always and forever._ The vow sounded in her head and she knew what she had to do.

She stood, using the speed she had gained with age against her former allies. She blurred forward, too quick for any of them to catch and shoved Bonnie, hard, sending her flying across the room and into the wall opposite. The witch's distraction broke the spell she had placed on her brother, but Rebekah knew that even whilst weak, Bonnie wouldn't stay down for long.

She saw Stefan and Damon's eyes widen in her periphery, as if they just realized what she had done. _They thought I was distracting him, following the plan. _Elena screamed out Bonnie's name and made her way over to her friend, the Salvatore's automatically following behind. Caroline, for her part, merely stood there, shocked into stillness. Her eyes were on Nik, observing him silently.

The girl didn't make a move to stop her as she blurred back to Niklaus.

"It'll be ok, brother." She whispered to a barely conscious Nik as she grabbed his arm and pulled it over her shoulder. "You'll be alright now."

She looked up and met Caroline's eyes, vaguely surprised to see understanding there. She stood slowly with her brother, holding his weight for him.

She kept her eyes on the other blonde vampire, knowing that if the girl decided to call out to the others, they would immediately turn away from Bonnie.

Again, all the biggest decisions of her life were to time span of a few seconds.

Unlike her brother, Rebekah could not read Caroline. The girl was still staring, glancing between both Originals, whilst the only Mikaelson sister held her breath, waiting. She returned her eyes to Rebekah for the final time and did something that greatly surprised the older vampire. She nodded.

Rebekah was quick to get over her shock, however, and simply returned the nod, before blurring away, taking Nik with her.

_Always and forever, brother. It seems like we both forgot about that day._

_Not anymore._

* * *

Caroline watched as Rebekah carted her very human brother away from them. She wasn't sure what had made her just… let them go.

No, that's a lie. _Of course_ she knew why she let them go.

She tried to tell herself that it was because she stood no chance. Rebekah was much, much older than she was, making her much more powerful. She tried to convince herself that she couldn't have done anything.

She told herself that this was why she let them go.

But that was a lie too, because she probably could have stalled long enough for the others to help her.

No, it was because of him that she let them go. Because of Klaus. She'd told him once before that she had seen the humanity in him.

"_Anybody capable of love is capable of being saved."_

It was like, when he took the cure, well, when he was _forced_ to take it, what she had seen had been amplified. Caroline liked to believe humanity had always been there but seeing it for _real_… it was different somehow. He seemed so young. The Klaus she knew was ambiguous, you could never _know_ with him.

Human Klaus made Caroline pause. He took her off-guard. She had assumed, they _all_ had that he would still be the same Klaus, just a lot less powerful; like Superman and Kryptonite.

It hadn't work out that way.

"_What is going? Where are we?_" His words rung through their head. It had taken her a moment to understand that maybe, just maybe the big bad Daddy Hybrid had forgotten who he was.

She wasn't sure, of course. Caroline knew Klaus could pull off an act if he wanted to. But, she could've sworn that he was being sincere, honest.

_Maybe he just forgot that we attacked him. Maybe he was just confused about what happened because he was in so much pain before._

Caroline remembered the feeling she had had when he was screaming; it had been guilt, and… remorse.

_Maybe he'll remember and be the same PMS-ing Original we're all used to._

Yet, somehow, Caroline doubted that. She was almost sure that Klaus wasn't who he used to be. The way the cure had almost lit him up like a glowstick. The way his eyes were hybrid yellow and then it seemed to melt away permanently. The way those same eyes that had looked so _old_ so _tired_ suddenly turned gentler, younger.

No, Caroline was sure that this wasn't the Klaus any of them knew. This was the Klaus that belonged a thousand years in the past.

That was why she let them go. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to deal with this Klaus. She had seen him, how much he cared about his sister.

_Maybe… Maybe this is his salvation._

"_Anybody capable of love is capable of being saved." _She thought again.

Caroline knew what it was like to lose yourself; she also knew what it was like to find yourself again. Everybody deserved that chance. Even Klaus.

"Blondie, where'd they go?" Damon asked suddenly as he turned away from Bonnie and the rest, his voice trying to convey annoyance but coming out only as defeated.

"They got away."

**Originally this was going to be just a one-shot but it got WAY too long and I thought I would best just make it a three-shot to give me some more breathing room. Plus, the way the story line is working is basically in three parts so… :D Next up: How Nik adjusts to his new life and a few moments with Caroline ;) (it should be up soon as I am already halfway through it)**

**Thank you for reading and let me know what you think!**

**RW**


	2. Part II

**Thank you to LightFiction, CarolineMikaelson, BeforeTheStorm15, **_**Guest**_**, justine, **_**Guest, Guest, **_**nicaha23, CindyLuvsYu, the original bitch, Dante 101, VAlover21, delena-soul, , mrsl488, and Clarabelle26 for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own TVD.**

Beginnings

_Part II_

When he opened his eyes, the world was blurry. His head was pounding and his body tingled with fading pain. He squinted as he lifted a hand to cover his eyes, trying to adjust to the light. Everything was foggy, and Niklaus' memory came back in flashes.

_What had happened?_

He remembered being at home, in the village. It had only been a week after Henrik had… _passed_. He remembered spending the day outside, hunting, staying away from the rest of his family, too ashamed, _guilty_, to look at them. He hadn't wanted to see the looks they gave in return either.

He remembered waking up the first time, _in pain_. There were strange people all around, and he had been on his knees. Then he saw his little sister, the only person he recognized. She had looked hurt, sad, _older_ than ever before. It had brought up Niklaus' protective instincts. He had already lost a younger sibling, he could not lose another, especially not 'Bekah.

He remember reaching out to her, dizzy, confused, but knowing he had to anyways, that he had to protect his family. She had started crying, acting even more oddly than he normally expected from her.

He remembered _more_ pain, his insides tearing him apart, like a thousand stabs of a sword.

He remembered his sister somehow managing to stop the pain, pulling him away with strong arms – seemingly stronger than himself.

Most of all, he remembered seeing a girl as he was led away, blonde and blue-eyed. _Beautiful,_ he had thought through his haze. She'd been staring at him, almost as if she couldn't believe what she saw.

That was it. All he could remember, and, yet, he felt like there should be so much more.

He struggled to sit; annoyed when his body failed him and he fell back down into the bed. When Niklaus finally realized that he was going nowhere, he took in his surroundings. He was in a room of some sort, a large one, like the ones he had read of in his mother's books. There were some odd contraptions he could not identify, but he did not look at those; something else caught his eye instead.

There was pile of sketches by his bedside; sketches drawn by his own hand, sketches he did not recall ever creating.

_What is this?_

Despite the fact that he knew he wouldn't be able to do it, Niklaus once again attempted to get up, adrenaline fuelling him. He needed to know what was going on. He was so caught up in his struggles that he did not even notice his sister entering the room until she stood next to him and pushed him back down.

"Bekah!" He growled, irritated.

"Really, brother, you need your rest." She replied, holding him down as he kept trying to site up.

"How is it you are so strong, sister?" Nik asked incredulously after a few long moments, trying to catch his breath from all of the exertion it took trying to fight against his younger sibling.

"Perhaps it's simply because you're so weak, Nik." She retorted, smirking.

"Never." His reply came with a half-smile of his own. His good demeanor disappeared just as quickly as it appeared when he got a good look at his little sister. "Bekah, what has happened? And _why_ in God's name are you wearing men's clothing?"

Rebekah looked amused for a moment before she frowned and sat down next to her brother. She put her hand on his arm and smiled sadly at him.

"Oh, Nik, it's a very long story." She evaded, grief rolling off her. He put his hand on hers, where it rested on his forearm.

"It seems I have nothing better to do than listen, sister."

"Very well. I suppose you would find out sooner or later, in any case." Looking reluctant but resigned, Rebekah opened her mouth and preceded to tell him the most ridiculous, horrific, fantastical, and incredibly sad story he had ever heard.

And it was about _him_.

* * *

In the weeks after her brother had been cured, Rebekah was sure to keep a close on him. She had taken him outside of Mystic Falls, but not too far away. Despite the fact that they hadn't lived there permanently in a thousand years, it was still their home.

The first few hours, he had refused to believe her, instead insisting that she was tricking him in revenge for his bullying her about being a girl. That quickly stopped when she showed him her fangs _and_ when he stopped denying the fact that they were most definitely not living in the tenth century anymore.

The first week had been quiet, and Nik had been a ghost. He could scarcely believe that he could have become so cruel, callous and so alike to _Mikael_ during his many years of life; these were things he never wanted to be, not really. And, yet, to some extent, he understood it, he understood it all.

It was because of that understanding that Niklaus accepted the truth in his sister's words.

The second week was filled with his questioning, his wondering about their family (she had hardly been able to console him when he learnt of Kol and Finn's deaths – the deaths of their parents didn't seem to upset him nearly as much). She only told him the minimal about Elijah, leaving out the fact that she could contact him but decided not to. She wanted some more time with Nik, and she didn't want Elijah and his serious ways ruining everything.

The third week Niklaus marveled at the modern world and it's technologies. Though he hated to, he had to often ask his little sister for help and she gladly gave it to him; with some teasing, of course.

It was only in the forth week that he became restless, that he wanted to explore.

"Come now, sister! I wish to see more. I am a man grown, I can care for myself." Her big brother assured her, a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I am sure you could, Nik, but let us not forget your lack of knowledge of the world today."

The first few times, this had worked, but eventually even Rebekah grew tired of seeing the same four walls everyday. Plus, Nik knew how to pester like no one else, and, just like usual, he was beginning to get on her nerves.

She knew it would be risky, but she was going to be prepared. Nik was informed on all the weaknesses of a vampire and she had plied him with vervain to make sure he can't be compelled (though that did make life trickier for her). She'd already warned the others to stay away from Nik unless they wanted her and Elijah to take their revenge (she only hoped they would heed her warning). Plus, there was the fact that there was _no way_ that she would let him out of her sight and she was one of the two most powerful vampires on Earth now that Nik was human.

The little Gilbert girl and her friends stood no chance, especially now that she was on her guard.

Rebekah still couldn't quite believe it. Her brother was really her brother again, really her Nik. He was human. Well, sort of.

It seemed that he retained some of his wolfy blood traits – but, oddly enough, he did not turn. She assumed that would only happen if he killed again.

Sometimes, though, just sometimes Rebekah found herself missing the other Nik, missing Klaus. Though he had ruined her life more times than she could remember, Klaus had always cared about her, in his own twisted manner.

She missed him.

Only sometimes.

Rebekah returned to herself when she noticed bemusedly the odd look Nik was giving himself in the mirror as he tugged at his leather jacket; he still wasn't used to wearing modern clothes. He definitely wasn't used to seeing his sister in 'men's clothing' either, much to her annoyance.

Still, a part of her glowed under the protective attention that he showed her.

"Come on, Nik, we should go soon before the lunch rush hour." Rebekah said, rolling and her eyes and pushing her brother out the door, glancing around to make sure the coast was clear as she did so.

* * *

Nik sighed as Rebekah finally left him for a while. Much as he adored his little sister, he was quickly tiring of her constant company. He was well aware that she was one of his few family members left but that didn't mean that it did not unnerve him the way she had been keeping watch on him.

Niklaus had always yearned for freedom; he was not one that took well to orders, at least, from someone other than his fath-_Mikael. _But he was gone now, and, though Rebekah was stronger then him (which greatly frustrated Nik), _he_ was still the older brother.

There was _no way_ he would follow his little sister's orders.

Still, he decided not to be overly aggressive on the matter, not after learning about his past from Rebekah. Apparently he had been nothing _but_ aggressive. Instead, he opted for the more passive approach; pestering her into submission.

After nearly a week of bothering her with it, he had finally been '_let'_ out of the house. Normally, he would have just sneaked away, but Rebekah was a…. a vampire, and would most likely have caught him.

She brought him to a tavern called the _Mystic Grill_. He must have looked nervous because she had guided him inside by the arm. He had been immediately aware of the eyes of him as the siblings entered and settled at a table; it was not the first time he had been stared at.

He stealthily glanced around, easily spotting those who had their eyes on him. Mainly, it was two men that he recognized were there when he was supposedly cured of his vampirism. He ignored them, instead focusing on the oddities of the tavern.

He had let Rebekah order him something, knowing close to nothing about modern day meals. Most of their meal was spent with her explaining things to him until, finally, she left him to go speak to the two men.

Rebekah had told him she was just going to drop by the ladies room but Niklaus knew his sister well, even after a thousand years, and knew her true intentions immediately.

Which left him sitting alone, observing the people around him. He was fascinated by the lives going on around him. The world had grown since he was last awake, and it was a wonderful thing to see. He suddenly felt the need to put his fascination down on paper and felt around in his pockets for the pencil he had placed there earlier.

He pulled one of the paper napkins towards him and soon enough his hand flew over it, his drawn lines forming smiling faces. He was so intent in his work that he did not notice the man by his table until he cleared his throat. Nik looked up in surprise and quickly shifted the napkin so it was partially hidden beneath the plate; it had been frowned upon in his village to take part in such 'unmanly' activities.

"Yes?" He asked as the blonde-haired man, well, _boy_ more, really, held out a black… _thing_ to him.

"Your receipt." The boy almost glared at Nik, and still held out his hand expectantly.

"Uh…" Nik hesitated, not having a clue as to what a _receipt _was. Still he reached forward and took it. "Thank you." The boy nodded and moved away hastily, as if loath to be in Nik's presence.

Nik opened the black thing he had been handed to find a little paper hidden inside. As he tried to decipher what it was and _what the hell _he was supposed to do with it, another person approached. He looked up to see the girl he had been dreaming of ever since he first awoke four weeks ago. She stood over him hesitantly, her blond hair lying loose around her shoulders in curls, blue eyes shining honestly. _Beautiful_, Nik found himself thinking again.

"Um…" Her voice came out softly, before she cleared her throat and went on determinedly. "You look like you're having some trouble."

For a moment, Nik said nothing, simply staring at her. She grew uncomfortable under his gaze and Niklaus was quick to rein it, cursing his own stupidity; only he would be able to scare her off within mere moments of meeting her.

"Yes." He finally replied, chuckling derisively. "I'm afraid I haven't a clue what I am supposed to with this… '_receipt'." _His brows furrowed at the unfamiliar word, disgust coming into his tone for a moment.

This caused the girl standing in front of him to let out a surprised laugh, and Nik internally rejoiced at the sound, smiling wider.

"Do you want some help?" She asked, still smiling slightly.

"Please."

"Well, I assume you have a wallet, right?" Nik handed it over to her without a word, his fingers slightly brushing hers. She froze for a moment before going on as if nothing happened, taking the correct bills from his wallet, before leaning over his shoulder and placing them in the black thing.

This time they both froze and Nik turned his head to find her own merely inches away from his. Their eyes met and Nik felt something unidentifiable grow in him, something he had not felt since Tatia. The sudden urge to caress her cheek caused him to break out of his reverie and he found himself clearing his throat somewhat awkwardly before looking away.

He saw the girl shake her head slightly, from the corner of his eyes, before she straightened. He stood as well, and she held out his wallet to him. He took it but kept a hold of her hand, his thumb stroking her soft skin gently, causing the girl's eyes to widened in surprise.

"You never told me your name." He found himself saying.

"I'm Caroline." She replied. Klaus smiled in return, finding the name oddly fitting. He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles.

"Pleasure, I'm Niklaus. Nik, if you prefer." He introduced himself, finally letting go of her hand, pocketing his wallet.

"It's…" Caroline hesitated. "It's nice to meet you… _Nik._"

"I must thank you for your assistance, I would have found myself quite lost without you." He said amiably, smiling at her.

"It was nothing." She shrugged. Niklaus was about to disagree and say that _yes, it was very much something, _when his little sister suddenly reappeared at his side, looking hostilely at the other blonde.

"Caroline." Rebekah greeted, her jaw tight. She didn't spare her another glance before she turned towards her brother. "We should go, Nik." The tone of her voice implied that if he dared argue with her, she would make his life miserable. Nik sighed before nodding his agreement, knowing that Rebekah could be damned sneaky when she wanted to be.

"Very well, sister."

Rebekah cast another quick glance at Caroline, before meeting his eyes again. "I'll meet you outside."

He watched his sister walk away for a moment before turning back to Caroline. She was staring back at him curiously, almost as if the exchange she had just seen between the siblings was not at all what she had expected.

"Well, it seems the _queen_ has spoken." He said, somewhat mockingly. "I must be off, then, 'Bekah's patience is even worse than mine." He only took a few steps before he turned around to face the blonde girl again, smirking. "I hope I see you soon, Caroline."

He didn't miss the blush that tinged her cheeks.

* * *

The next time he saw Caroline, Niklaus had been walking down the road, craving fresh air. There were other means of transport, yes, but he much preferred walking to the metal death traps known as cars.

It was what he was used to. As much as he enjoyed this new world, he also missed his old one. It had been a hard life, without much comfort to be found, but it had been _his_ life. It had been surprisingly simple too, he now realized.

As he walked down the road, hands in his pockets, enjoying the feeling of the wind in his face, one of the death traps slowed down by him and its window rolled down to reveal a confused looking Caroline.

"Ah, miss Caroline." Nik greeted with a smile, stopping his stroll so that he could face her fully. She smiled back and gingerly got out of her 'car', walking around it so she stood in front of him.

"Hey." She replied, hesitantly again, as if she was unsure how to act around him. "So… where are you off too?"

"Nowhere in particular." He shrugged slightly, hands behind his back. His reply made her smile slightly and her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Well, would you like a ride to nowhere?" She asked him, cocking her head to the side.

"It would be an honor, love."

* * *

They ended up driving aimlessly for hours and Niklaus found himself growing to like the metal death traps a little more. At least Caroline drove less maniacally than his little sister (though he had the feeling 'Bekah only drove like that to irritate him).

Caroline gave him a tour of the town, showing him around and explaining the history. Soon, however, their conversation flowed to different topics, from her family to his, her passions and his own.

Niklaus noted that she stayed away from any sort of mention of her recent past, and he did not push her for it; she would tell him if she wanted to.

At the end of the day, when they went their separate ways, Nik knew only one thing.

He had to continue seeing Caroline.

* * *

The next few weeks were good ones for Nik. He managed to see Caroline regularly, until it became almost routine for them to see each other every other day. The two men that had been so suspiciously staring at him when he had been with his sister, seemed to have disappeared as well.

Every day, Nik found himself adjusting more and more and every day he saw Caroline, he found himself liking her more and more.

It happened the first time he visited her home. They had been standing in her kitchen whilst she prepared some coffee (a very appetizing and addicting beverage he had learned to enjoy). Nik, who had been trying his best to hold down his urges, couldn't help himself and found himself standing close behind her. He hadn't known why, but he had felt compelled to place a light kiss to her cheek. It had meant to be chaste but before he knew it, she had turned and fervently placed her lips to his.

Nik had wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and pulled her close to him until he wasn't sure where he ended and she began. Her arms had wound around his neck in return, one of her hands playing with the strands of hair at the base of his neck.

He wasn't sure how long the kiss had lasted but he had been the one to break it, placing his forehead gently against her.

"Forgive me, love, I meant not to act improperly towards you." He had whispered to her, even as his eyes drifted back to her sweet lips.

"I don't mind." She'd whispered back, and that was all it took for him to kiss her again.

After that, the weeks had become even more blissful for him. He was in such a good mood all the time that it even affected his little sister and he and Rebekah got along better then ever. He and Caroline had become almost inseparable.

The only dark spot in their relationship was her refusal to introduce him to her friends and family. At first he had been somewhat offended at her adamant refusals to his requests, but then it occurred to him that when he saw her in the Grill that day it might not have been the first time they had met.

He stopped asking.

* * *

They were out in the woods now, Klaus keeping Caroline company as she decided to go for a hunt. He had known she was a vampire from in the beginning, and didn't mind. He was not completely human himself, after all. Though she drunk primarily donated blood, Nik knew that vampires were a predatory species; they needed to hunt every now and again, to keep the urges to a minimum.

Caroline pulled him by his hand, the both of them laughing. She glanced around to look around for any spectators before leaning up to kiss him. Nik smirked, and put his hand on her cheek, returning it.

"I thought you were going to hunt, love." He said, between kisses, the fingers that threaded through her hair at odds with his statement.

"Mmmm, that can wait."

They stood together for a while longer, until finally Caroline pulled away, causing Nik to sigh disappointedly.

"I'll be right back." She said, smiling sweetly, pecking him once quickly. She darted off at vampire speed and Nik took the moment to look around at his surroundings. He was in a small sort of clearing, where the trees and foliage were less dense.

There was something eerily familiar about this place. He was sure he had been here before and yet he could not recall it. Just as he was about to tell himself he was simply imagining things, a blinding pain entered his head and he groaned in agony.

_Klaus tore his hand through his hybrid's chest, yanking out his heart without a single doubt. He watched impassively as his body fell, dropping his heart unceremoniously to the floor._

"_No!"_

_The anguished cry didn't affect Klaus in the slightest and he turned his dark, rageful eyes to the others in the clearing. His hand tightened around the sword in his hand, before blurring forward and swinging it through one of the hybrids' necks, severing it completely._

_The next minutes were only filled with blood._

"Nik! Nik! Are you okay? What's happening?" He was suddenly aware that he had fallen to his knees, and that soft hands were gently cradling his face. He was gasping, the pain just barely receding, the half-faded memory, because he was sure it was a memory, it felt so _real_, still clouding his mind. "Nik?" She asked again, causing him to lift his eyes to meet hers.

He was abruptly assaulted with more pain, and with it, more flashes.

"_There's a whole world out there waiting for you."_

"_I fancy you."_

"_Oh, come on. Take a chance, Caroline. Talk to me. Come on, get to know me. I dare you."_

"_Perhaps, one day, or even in a century you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer. Mark my words. Small town boy, small town life. It won't be enough for you."_

"_It's okay. It's okay. It's me. It's okay. You're safe."_

"_Just know that if Tyler was still sired to me, he never would've hurt you. I wouldn't have let him."_

"_I'll tell you all about being the bad guy."_

"_Is that our thing?"_

"_I'm a thousand years old, call it boredom."_

"_Because of you, Caroline. It was all for you."_

Klaus stared at Caroline's blue, blue eyes.

"_I know that you're in love with me, and anybody capable of being in love, is capable of being saved."_

Caroline gasped, her hand moving to her mouth as Klaus simply stared at her, unmoving, memories still dancing around in his head.

"You're eyes…" She whispered, shock clear in her face. "Nik, they're _yellow._"

**Only one part left, my lovelies – It should be up soon, sometime this week ;) I wish I could put it up earlier but the only reason I got this up so quickly is because I had already written so much of it, so… By the way, my human Klaus is mostly based off the flashback scenes and what I think he could have been like ;D**

**Next (and final) part: A little insight into Caroline's side of things and some more unpredicted changes :D**

**Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!**

**RW**


	3. Part III

**Thank you to brighteyescoldheart, ApekshaStar (x2), seKretshidden, justine, AgathaN, VAlover21, Aleandra Odinson, Rianeliza, Lovely Rain Dancer, Light Fiction, angel1725, AngelinaGuerin (x2), cubangirl, **_**Guest**_**, Clarabelle, DGfleetfox, CarolineMikaelson, mrsl488, Mystery Girl3, lulujay, lily84, ANGELiCAWROTE, 29, Lord of Sin, delena-soul, Deceptivedecadence, and glevez25 for reviewing!**

_**Italics **_**are flashbacks ;)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own TVD.**

Beginnings

_Part III_

Caroline had never expected for this to happen. She never thought that she would be here, with him, and yet she was. Niklaus Mikaelson, former-hybrid, over a thousand years old, cold, a killer, passionate.

But now he was Nik, kind, _good_ Nik.

When they first spoke after he had turned human, Caroline hadn't been sure what to think. He'd been so sincere, something she'd only seen on rare occasions with Klaus. The way he'd looked at her though, it was so much like his former self that for a moment Caroline felt herself freeze, felt herself forgetting that he was human now. She wasn't sure why, but she had helped him, despite her own misgivings on the whole situation.

The way he'd acted with her was enough to convince that she had made the right decision all those weeks before in letting he and his sister go. Human Klaus, no, _Nik_, was quite the charmer she soon found out, but not in an egotistical way. He was flattering and made her struggle to think when he kept his blue eyes on her.

For a moment the thought passed through her head that he was a real life Prince Charming.

When they finally parted ways, Caroline tried to convince herself that he was still the same person who had harmed them all so much. It was in vain, however, and she knew it. So, when she saw him walking from her car, she was quick to pull over and offer him a ride. When he accepted it, her heart had fluttered.

It was in that car ride that she decided that staying away from him like everyone was telling her to do, wasn't an option. There was a connection between them, she knew that now, when he'd been a hybrid, she ignored it with all her might, telling herself that there was _no way she liked him. At all._

Only, as a human, he spoke to her unlike any other person she'd known. He seemed to understand her without trying, knowing when not to pry and when to ask how she was. She had friends who got her, sure, but not as innately as Nik did.

That night, after their little excursion together, she'd gone home with a spring in her step, only to find the Salvatore brothers, standing with scowls at her door. They'd warned her that she needed to stop interacting with Klaus, that, even though he was harmless, he was still their enemy. She needed to back away _or else._

Caroline did something that surprised the both of them, though. She refused. For a moment, she'd thought that Damon would attack her (it wouldn't have been the first time) but Stefan held him back and told him to go. After the elder brother had left, Stefan only nodded at her and followed. She knew that if there was anyone who would understand her… feelings towards Klaus, Nik, whoever he was, it would be Stefan. They'd both experienced his sincere side, something not many people could say.

In the weeks after that, her friends avoided her. Elena and Bonnie yelled at her, reminding her of all the horrible things he had to them in the past, calling her an idiot for believing that he'd changed. Eventually though, they stopped getting mad, seeing the very same resolve face she'd worn when she became cheer captain. Things were still rocky between the three, but they'd been through too much together to have this be the cause of their split.

Damon, though he wasn't really her friend, hadn't been around her at all. For some reason his rejection of her still stung. The only one who treated her with relative normalcy was Stefan.

All of that though, paled in comparison to the time she'd spent with Nik. It had been an easy friendship at first, which soon became an even easier romance. It was like they fit together flawlessly. It wasn't like when she'd been with Damon, no, Nik treated her with the utmost respect. It wasn't like when she'd been with Matt, either, because there was not fear about Nik finding out what she was; he already knew and couldn't care less. It wasn't like with Tyler either, it was just… easier with Nik.

He made her happy. Happier than she'd ever been.

She couldn't bear to be apart from him any longer than necessary. A day or two without him made her feel almost jittery, at the edge of her seat. It went so far that she began taking him with her on hunts, wanting as much time as possible.

She smiled at the memory of the first time they went together, Nik having insisted on accompanying her.

"_Doesn't it make you sick?" Caroline asked, rubbing away the last drop of bunny blood that speckled her cheek._

"_What, love?" Nik asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against one of the tree, watching her with admiring eyes._

"_To see me like this?" Her eyes fell to the floor. "I'm a monster." She whispered so quietly that she was sure he wouldn't be able to hear her. She was wrong. She suddenly felt his fingers go under her chin, urging her to look up at him. She complied, finding his eyes holding an anger and sadness she did not expect._

"_You're not a monster, sweetheart." He said lowly, as he shook his head once. His fingers travelled from her chin to her cheek, stroking his thumb lightly against her soft skin. "You're strong. You're good." _

_She looked away again. "But I am, Nik! Just look at-"_

"_Caroline." He interrupted firmly, causing her to look back at him. "You are not a monster." He took her hands in his, eyes conveying sincerity. _

"_But, I'm a vampire." _

"_And does being vampire always equate with being a monster?" _Well, _Caroline thought,_ that was enough for my own dad to think I'm a monster._ "A vampire is not just what you are, love, it is _who_ you are." Nik merely smiled at her somewhat confused gaze. "And who you are is not evil. You are good, Caroline, better than all of us."_

"_But-" She was about to protest when Nik merely shook his head again._

"_Do you trust me?" He asked, catching her off guard. Her answer did the same._

"_Of… of course."_

"_Then trust me on this."_

Caroline trusted Nik implicitly, more than anyone. When she thought about him, her stomach got that fluttery feeling, even now, a few months later it was still there.

It was only when he was apart from her for over a week that she figured out that she was in love with him.

_"You're eyes…" She whispered, shock clear in her face. "Nik, they're _yellow_.__" They were the eyes that used to haunt her nightmares – not the eyes of a werewolf, but that of a hybrid, _the_ hybrid. But she ignored all that now, Nik, he needed her._

"_Caroline." Nik said quietly, his face hiding all emotion. That was odd, he was never so cut off from her. Her hands returned to his cheeks, and she put her forehead against his._

"_I'm here." She whispered in return, smiling a bit at him. "Are you ok? What happened?" Something was off, she could just feel it. Something was really off. He slowly lifted his hand to cover hers, not saying a word. His eyes they were so… old… aged… He leaned forward and barely brushed his lips against hers. When he pulled away, his eyes met hers, burning through her._

"_I love you, Caroline." Before she could even begin to process his words and that he actually said them, he continued speaking, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "It was all for you." _

_And then he was gone, blurred away at inhuman speed._

…

"_Klaus." Caroline stated, feeling the truth in her own words. _

_Klaus. Klaus was back._

_She soon found herself on her feet, not thinking twice, running after him with all her might, zipping through the woods. She was surprised when she managed to catch up to him._

"_N-" She stopped short. "Klaus! Wait!" She crashed into his back as he suddenly stopped. She pulled back immediately and he turned, looking down at her with a grim sort of smile._

"_No…" She whispered, backing away. "This can't… That's impossible."_

"_That's what I thought too, love."_

"_No… no…" Caroline said again, sounding like a broken record._

_A pained expression crossed Klaus' face before it was gone, replaced with emotionless mask. "Well, I know when I am not wanted." _

_Caroline blinked and he was gone. Again. She panicked, searching around._

"_Wait, no! Klaus! That's not what…." She staggered after the direction he had gone, before knowing it was too late. "… that's not what I meant."_

Caroline frowned, feeling incredibly guilty at the memory. It had been a week since then, and there was no sign of him. He was avoiding her, and it hurt more than Caroline could imagine. She missed him so much, it was like, without him, there was a hole in her heart.

It didn't matter to her whether he was Klaus or Nik or whoever, she just wanted _him_. She _needed _him.

She loved him, after all.

* * *

_How the hell did this happen? I thought the cure was to be permanent. _Klaus ran as fast as he could, away from Caroline, away from everything.

It hurt. It all hurt. The whole was suddenly brighter again, louder. It wasn't like the first time he had transitioned, because, back then, he'd turned into a young vampire. Now, he was transitioning into his former self – a thousand year old hybrid. His gum ached as his fangs threatened to descend, his throat _burning _with thirst.

Then he caught it, the scent. It was the intoxicating scent of blood and he ran to it, desperate for a way to dull the burn. He found his answer in an injured hiker. Without a thought, he yanked the man up and bit deep into his neck, rejoicing at the feeling of blood rushing down his throat, soothing his thirst.

As he drank, his mind drifted, finally able to suppress some of the heightened state he was in. His first thoughts were of Caroline, and the look of horror she had had on her face when he saw what he had become… again… It was like she had thrust a dagger in his heart.

Klaus may remember the entirety of his life now, but that did not mean he had forgotten the last few months he had spent with Caroline. He loved her. That much stayed true. He only wished, he had thought to say it before… before she had looked at him like _that_.

As he felt the man's pulse weakening, Klaus thought back to the conversation they'd had.

"_And does being vampire always equate with being a monster?"_ It abruptly occurred to Klaus that, sometimes being a vampire _did_ equate to being a monster, that _he _was the monster in this case. Suddenly, all he could see was Caroline's horrified face and he found his fangs receding. He dropped the man to the floor, disgusted with himself for both his actions and his guilt over them.

Klaus should not be feeling _guilt _of all things, not after more than a thousand years of slaughter. And yet he was… He could still see her face, could imagine her rejection all over again. Glancing at the man, he crouched down two fingers to his throat, finding a pulse. He would live.

_Why do I even care? He is nothing to me, mere food to use at my disposal…._

With a frustrated growl, Klaus got up again and moved away, flying through the woods until he reached his house. He entered, his mind clouded with anger and confusion and a measure of heartbreak. His body still rung with pain, a symptom of returning to his former state he supposed.

He soon heard light footsteps come down the stairs.

"Nik! You're home. I thought you and Caroline were going to-" Rebekah stopped short as she took in her brother's appearance, immediately noting the blood stains around his mouth, the look in his eyes. She looked utterly shocked.

"You… you're not…" Rebekah couldn't seem to get the words out properly.

"Human?" Klaus finished her question. "No, little sister, I most certainly am not." There seemed to chasm between them and neither of them dared cross it. For a moment, all Klaus felt was anger at her, it was because of _her_ that all of this was happening in the first place.

But then he thought to their time when he was human again. They had been a family again, and wasn't _that_ what he had always wanted?

"_I can do it myself, 'Bekah!" Nik insisted, trying to reach around his sister to get his phone back. She, of course, was much to fast and simply blurred so she was behind him._

"_Please, Nik, you're incompetent when it comes to anything modern." Rebekah scoffed, successfully programming in Caroline's number from the paper she held in her hand. "You're lucky I would even help you in your 'wooing' of the girl." She grimaced as she mentioned the blonde her brother had taken to so much (…again). _

"_Now, now, little sister, there is no need to be jealous, there will always be room for you in my heart." He replied mockingly, placing his hand over his heart dramatically._

"_I am _not_ jealous, brother." Rebekah sniped; crossing her arms over her chest, phone still in hand. "You are just a fool."_

"_Your words wound me." He sighed loudly. "However will I live without the approval of my darling little sister?" _

"_Don't be an ass." Said sister replied with a glare, stepping closer so she could smack him briefly on the shoulder with his phone, allowing him to grab it. He smirked when the phone was back in his possession, chuckling to himself as Rebekah stalked off, annoyed._

"_Going off to lick your wounds, 'Bekah?"He called after her, laughing harder when he heard her annoyed growl._

"So." Rebekah said, interrupting his thoughts. "I suppose you are here to dagger me then." She sounded almost resigned, unlike the little sister he knew. Immediately his anger drained from him, leaving Klaus empty.

"No." He sighed, tired, barely noticing her surprised look. "Not this time."

"Nik?" The other Original asked, looking towards her brother, confused at his silence. This wasn't what Klaus was like. He should be angry, be _hurting_ her but he was just standing there… "What happened, brother?" She found herself asking, putting aside her fear.

Klaus was silent for a moment, taking in her question. He decided to ignore it completely.

"We have to leave Mystic Falls, love, we have spent too much time here." He instead replied, exhaustion creeping into his voice.

"Leave…?" Rebekah sounded confused.

"Yes. There is nothing left for us here."

"What do you _mean_ there is nothing left?" His sister went from confused to disbelieving in a millisecond. "We have _lives_ here! And what about Caroline-?"

"Do _not_ speak of her to me." Klaus growled, anger flashing through his eyes. Rebekah scoffed, stepping back, a hurt expression crossing her face.

"So, that's it." She crossed her arms. "You had a spat with lover and now _I_ have to pay the price."

Klaus ignored her remark and the slight twinge of guilt that came with it. "We are going to leave." He said, instead.

"No." Rebekah shook her head vigorously. "I won't go. I _won't_. Not again. You can't do this to me."

"No? I can't?" He took a threatening step towards. Understanding lit Rebekah's eyes, the promise of a dagger clear. Yet, his warning seemed half-hearted, like he was going through the motions.

"If you care about me at all, you won't make me go. You know, these past months you spent as human… you were my big brother again. Be my brother." Rebekah followed her hunch, hoping.

"_Fine_." Klaus hissed after a few moments, turning away from her. "Stay. I won't stop you." He didn't see his sister's shocked expression.

"And you? What will you do?" The other Original asked quietly, hesitantly, not wanting encroach more on her luck.

"I do not know, sister." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face tiredly. This was another surprise to said sister; Klaus always had a plan, _always. _Rebekah frowned, the whole situation already wearing on her; she could only wonder what it must be like for Nik. Deciding to take her chances, she hesitantly put a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"Whatever you do, make sure you know that it is really what you want." She told him.

Klaus took in his sister's words, seeing that they made sense. The only problem was, he knew what he wanted. _Who_ he wanted.

She just didn't want _him_ anymore.

So Klaus just turned around and sent his little sister a nod, before walking out the door.

He hadn't been back since.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Klaus had walked out of the doors of his own house. He hadn't been sure what he had wanted to do, but he knew that he was going to leave Mystic Falls. For good, this time. He was going to go far away and forget about this horrible little town. He would go back to happily terrorizing his way through life.

At least, those were his intentions. He just hadn't quite gotten around to doing so yet.

He had been spending the last days in a small house right outside of Mystic Falls, after he had compelled the owner to let him in (though he didn't kill the man, just sent him away). The first few days, he had talked to some of his witchy contacts, wanting to know where the cure had gone wrong, why it hadn't worked.

"_The cure was not made for you." _The witch had told him. "_It was created solely for the purpose of spiting Silas, and was made for _him_. For a spell as powerful as immortality, the only chance of breaking it is by the witch who first created it."_

"_Then why did it work for a while?"_

"_The best I can tell is that the essence of the cure is the same for both yourself and Silas, but, your blood, as a hybrid, is extremely potent. I would be surprised that even if the cure was made for you, that it would have made you completely human._

_Besides, the cure was an ancient spell and there are very few spells that can last so long. The only one I know of is the spell that made you immortal, and, even then, the only reason it survived is because you and all of your siblings were the children of a powerful witch. Your sire lines share your blood so vampirism has spread."_

"_I see. So I shall never be human again?"_

"_No. Never."_

Klaus still wasn't sure why he had felt a slight twinge of disappointment at her answer. Being human was no great thing, it was dull, _boring_. Most people lived and died all without so much as making a dent in the world.

Being a centuries-old vampire-werewolf hybrid on the other hand…

A small measure of himself missed it though, but he suspected that was due to the person he had spent his human days with.

The last week or so, he found himself checking up Caroline. She seemed fine without him, as she spoke to her friends, the ones she never wanted him to meet. Klaus knew that that was as good a sign as any that he should just go, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. Yet.

He wasn't sure how long it would be until he broke and _did_ end up going. He somehow knew it wouldn't be any time soon, though.

* * *

Caroline had that peculiar feeling of being watched. She had had the same feeling for a while now, and it was beginning to unnerve her. At first, she'd tried to act as if nothing was wrong. She began talking to her friends more, wanting it to seem like they were a united rank, even with their current disagreements. She went all about Mystic Falls, trying to shake her tail. Sometimes, it felt like the eyes on her were gone, but, others, it felt like they were focused on nothing but her.

One afternoon, she finally had enough of her stalker. It was honestly getting ridiculous, so she decided to lay a trap for whoever it was. She had a feeling she knew his identity, however.

She was hunting again, in the woods, speeding around, only she was going around in wide circles, until she ended up climbing to the top of a tree. It took a while, but eventually her watcher came out and immediately he sent her heart racing with hope.

Klaus. He was still here. He hadn't gone yet. That meant there was a chance. There was a _chance_. She sucked in her breath suddenly, her mind whirring with a thousand different thoughts that were revolving on the person in front of her. Her gasp caused Klaus to look up and spot her and, in panic, Caroline realized he was going to run again.

Without another thought, she jumped from the tree and in front of him, a hand pressed to his chest as if to prevent his escape, even though they both knew she was not strong enough for that.

"Klaus. Please wait. Please." She pleaded with him, searching his blue eyes for any sign of emotion.

"Why should I? It is very clear I am unwanted here." Anger and hurt flashed across his face as he practically growled his answer at her.

"You are not unwanted." Caroline replied firmly, heart breaking at the fact that he thought that.

"Do _not_ lie to me, sweetheart. For both our sakes. I _saw_ the look on your face when I came back. You were horrified." The hurt that was in his eyes was difficult for Caroline to bear.

"But not because of that! Not because of you!" The blonde exclaimed loudly, through her hands up with exasperation and panic.

"Then what, love? What could it _possibly_ be?" Klaus asked with disbelief and distrust coloring his voice.

"I-I was worried…" She started, trailing off at a sudden sense off at a sudden sense of self-confidence.

"Come on, Caroline. Speak up." His command made anger abruptly rise. How _dare_ he tell her what to do? She ended up snapping her answer at him, annoyed.

"I was worried because I was afraid that you wouldn't be able to love me. Not anymore. Not like I love you. I was afraid that I'd lost for good, okay? There's no need to be such a jerk about it." She crossed her arms, eyes narrowed.

"You…" Klaus paused, still processing, his heart pounding with both love and doubt. "You love me? Even after all I've done."

"Yes." Caroline replied, surprised at how easy it was with him. "Yes, I do. I love you, Klaus. _All_ of you."

Klaus' eyes were a myriad of a emotions. But, most of all, Caroline saw a happiness that made her smile. And that way he looked at _her_… It made her blood thrum with joy, anticipation. For a moment, his face was completely open to her, and Caroline was almost blinded by the sudden rise of happiness in him.

Soon enough, however, the moment was gone and Klaus looked hesitant once more.

"_How_ could you?" He asked with such desperation that it made Caroline feel like she herself was drowning. He sounded so utterly heart broken and hopeful at the same time.

Caroline could think of a thousand reasons why she loved Niklaus Mikaelson, but she knew she didn't have much longer with him to tell him all of them unless she did something.

"I told you once that anyone capable of love can be saved. I think that maybe, maybe the cure _did_ work. I think that it maybe _saved _you." Caroline said, hesitant as she took hold of one of Klaus' hands and held it tight with her own, her eyes meeting his.

Suddenly, Klaus smiled widely with dimples and all and he lifted her hand gently to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss to its palm. He then dropped her hand and very, very hesitantly lifter his own hands so that he could cradle her face and hold it close to his own. He pressed his forehead to hers when he saw that happiness that his touch brought to her eyes.

"It wasn't cure, Caroline. It was you." Klaus told her, sensing the truth in his own words.

"Me?" She blurted, shocked.

Klaus chuckled. "Yes, you. _Of course you_. It has always been _you_. I love you so much that it feels like my heart will burst, can you not see that?"

This time it was Caroline who looked happy and disbelieving at the same time.

"You love me?" She found herself asking, echoing his earlier words.

"Yes. Yes, I do." Then with a smile, Klaus leaned down until his lips touched hers. The kiss started out sweet, innocent and reveling in their mutual love. But, soon enough, it became more impassioned and Caroline wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, pulling herself closer to him. Klaus, in turn, had one arm around her waist, the other delved deep into her blonde hair. The entire time, Caroline was glowing with happiness. It didn't matter to her that she was still at odds with her friends. It didn't matter that there were still so many things that they needed to talk about, that had changed.

All that mattered was that they were together.

When they finally pulled away, Caroline immediately began apologizing, still feeling guilty for the heartbreak she had caused him. "Klaus, I didn't- I am so sorry-" She was interrupted suddenly by Klaus stealing another searching kiss.

"Sh, sweetheart. I know." He reassured her against her lips. Caroline smiled, leaning more into him.

"I love you, Klaus." She whispered back.

There was silence as they reveled in each other, holding each other close.

Until… "I love you too, Caroline."

Caroline's smile grew wider. So did Klaus'.

They were together and they loved each other.

"_Anybody capable of being in love is capable of being saved."_

FIN

**OK, guys! That's it, this was the final part! Thanks so much for all the support and everyone who read this little story of mine! You are all awesome!**

**Before I leave you, I just want to briefly explain **_**why**_** Klaus didn't stay human. For one, I just couldn't see the whole klaroline relationship working if he did because there was only one cure. Also, the whole idea of the cure just seems kind of like too good to be true, you know? Not to mention, as some of you probably realized, I tend to go towards the sad ending but I wanted have a happily-ever-after for this story, and this was the only way I saw that happening :D**

**So, end result, a more moral, human Klaus and happy klaroline times :D**

**Anyways, thank you all again and let me know what you think!**

**RW**


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